Champions Trophy: Australia face England in do-or-die match

June 10, 2017 |
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Birmingham [UK], June 10 (ANI): Australia will today face England in what would be a do-or-die game for them in the ongoing Champions Trophy here at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.
With Bangladesh knocking out New Zealand in what was an epic of a game last night, only a win would now allow the Steve Smith-led side to enter the semi-finals of the marquee event.
However, their job would not be easy as they would be facing the hosts, who have been in prime form in the tournament so far, having notched victories in both their group matches and thereby securing a last-four berth.
Going into the match, England would be high on confidence with their comprehensive victories over Bangladesh and New Zealand, while Australia would be looking to grab their first win of the tournament as both their matches got washed out.
While against the Black Caps, the rain gods came to their rescue, it was the other way round against Bangladesh where weather played a spoilsport and destroyed their chances of what would have been a comfortable victory for them.
Going into the match, these are some facts about the two rivals:
• Australia have won 12 of their last 15 ODIs against England and overall have a 60% win rate against their old rival.
• This will be the fifth Champions Trophy clash between these sides, the record stands at two wins-apiece so far with both of England's wins coming at Edgbaston.
• Three of the last five scheduled fixtures between these sides in Birmingham have failed to produce a result, with England winning the other two games, Australia's last win at the venue against England was back in 1993.
• No side has made it out of the group stage in each edition of the tournament, of the eight nations to play in all seven previous editions Australia have the best strike rate of making it to the knock out stage (6/7 times).
• England have won 10 of their last 11 ODIs and have a win rate of 77% in 2017 (10/13), the best of any side to play 10+ ODIs in the calendar year.
• Joe Root has scored just 212 runs in 12 ODIs against Australia, giving him an average of just 17.7, his lowest average against any side he has faced more than twice.
• Eoin Morgan needs 92 runs to become the third England batsman to reach 5,000 ODI runs.
• Ben Stokes needs one more wicket to reach 50 scalps in his ODI career whilst Moeen Ali is three away from the same milestone.
• Glenn Maxwell requires 43 more runs to reach 2000 ODI career runs, the 28-year-old averages 43.1 against England in this format.
• Of bowlers to take 100+ ODI wickets only Joel Garner (18.8) has a better average than Mitchell Starc (19.9).
Squads
Australia: Steven Smith(c), David Warner, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa
England: Eoin Morgan(c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Jos Buttler, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Steven Finn. (ANI)